Lubricator for journal bearings



Aug. 10, 1954 M. J. NARDULLI ET AL 2,686,089

LUBRICATOR FOR JOURNAL BEARINGS Filed Jul 15,1951 1 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 F IG.| /7 "i V g a flfii? I w v mllggll n FIG.2

INVENTORS. MICHAEL J. NARDULLI CARL J. DELEGARD ATTOR EY Aug. 10, 1954 M. J. NARDULLI ET AL 2,686,089

LUBRICATOR FOR JOURNAL BEARINGS Filed July 13, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS. MICHAEL J. NARDULLI CAR L J. DE LEGA D y I a W h ATTOR Patented Aug. 10, 1954 2,686,089 LUBRICATOR FOR JOURNAL BEARINGS Michael J. Nardulli, Elmwood Park, and Carl J.

Delegard, Chicago,

Ill.

Application July 13, 1951, Serial No. 236,522

4 Claims.

This invention relates way journal boxes.

In a railway journal box such as the standard AAR journal box, a journal bearing resting on a journal is conventionally lubricated by oil-soaked to lubricators for railthe space between the bearing and th journal has been a major cause of bearing failures, hot boxes and the like. In view of this long recognized source of journal box failures, many different expedients have been employed for holding the packing against undesired upward displacement. Such expedients have usually taken the form of packing retainers and have been subject to objection in many instances for the reason that they constitute extra equipment which complicates servicing the journal box. In view of this it is an important object of the present inventhe lubrication and vention is to aiiord an improved lubricating that may be readily and easily removed and replaced and Which by its is effectively retained in proper position in the journal box- Other and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following description and claims and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings which, by way of illustration, show a preferred embodiment of the present invention and the principle thereof and what we now consider to be the best mode in whichwe have contemplated applying that principle. Other embodiments of the invention embodying the same or equivalent principle may be used and structural changes may be made as desired by those skilled in the art without departing from the present invention and the purview of the amended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a journal box equipped with a lubricator embodying the features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. l and showing the lubricator when it is completely filled with lubricant;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. l with the lubricant supply somewhat depleted;

Fig. 4 is a perspective of the lubricator;

2 Fig. 5 is a fragmental sectional view showing the supply fitting.

facing For purposes of disclosure the present invention is disclosed as embodied in a lubricator l0 adapted for individual insertion or removal with respect to railway journal box II, as will hereinafter be explained. Thus, as shown in Fig. 1, the journal box I I which is a standard AAR journal box of the most commonly used type, em-

bodies a top wall It, side walls 13, and a transversely arcuate bottom wall [4 which is sloped upwardly at its outer end edge as at [4F so that an outer end opening I5 is defined for the journal box. This opening is normally closed by a lid I5L that is pivoted at I! at its upper edge on the outer end edge of the top wall l2. Within the journal box II, a journal bearing [8 is disposed engagement with a conventional wedge i 9 that engages the top wall 12, and lateral lugs 20 on the journal bearing I 8 have rearwardly surfaces that engage the forward faces of locating or side lugs 21 that are formed on the inside surfaces of the side walls I3. These side lugs 2| terminate in lower end lug portions 21L.

The journal bearing [8 is of the usual or standard type and is arranged to bear on the upper arcuate portion of a cylindrical bearing surface 253 of a journal 25, and this journal 25 may have the customary outer flange 25F, which may, under certain circumstances, engage with the end of the journal bearing it.

In the conventional use of the journal box arrangement shown in Fig. l, the lower portion of the journal box is filled with oil-soaked material, such as waste, and such waste extends usually to the lower ends of the lug portions 25L and engages the lower portion of the bearing surface 25B so that this bearing surface is lubricated in the lubricator lfi of the present invention is so conbendable and compressible so as to be adapted for insertion orremoval through such small clearance space, and as shown herein the lubricator .Qpenings 3! are countersunk as comprises a bendable and collapsible lubricant container 30 adapted to underlie the bearing surface 25B of the journal 25 and having one or more lubricant feeding openings 3| in its upper surface. This container 38 has a bendable and compressible pressure applying base member 32 secured thereto so that when the complete unit is in place in a journal box, the pressure applying base member is compressed in a generally vertical sense and acts by virtue of its resiliency to press the container 31] upwardly toward the journal, thereby to apply resilient collapsing or flattening forces to the container 3t and by such forces, the lubricant within the container 33 is gradually fed through the feed openings 5.! onto the lower face; of the journal 25.

The container moldable material that is of such a nature as to be resistant to the action of grease or oil, and this material in the nature of a synthetic rubber such as that commercially known as. neoprene. Thus as shown in Fig. 5, the container 30 is, normally relatively fiat and long, and has a top wall 30']? and a bottom wall 36B that are formed with joining side and end walls 33S and 39E. The feed openings 3! are formed in the top wall 30T midway between its edges and are arranged in a longitudinally spaced relation so as to attain relativelywide distribution of the lubricant over the bearing surface 25B of the journal. The upper or outer face of the top wall BUT may be formed, as shown in Fig. 5, so that the outer ends of the at SIC to afford lubricant pockets.

One end of the container 30 may be said to I constitute the outer end of the container since it is located adjacent the open end of the journal box, and on this outer end means are afforded for filling the container 30 while the lubricator i is in position in a journal box. Such means in the present instance are afforded by a filling tube 34 having one and extended through the end wall 30E in sealed relation. At its other or outer end, the tube 34 has a conventional lubricating fitting 35. of the type used in automotive and machinery lubricating systems, and this fitting 35 includes the conventional check valve. With such an arrangement, the container 3%) may be readily filled by injection of lubricant under pressure through the fitting 35, and such fitting is readily accessible when the lubricator is in place in a journal box as willbeevident in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

The base member 32 may take different forms which are characterized in each instance by bendability and compressibility so that they may be, inserted into or removed from the journal box and. are capable of applying upward collapsing or lubricant feeding forces to the container 30. Thus in the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to of the drawings, the base member 32 is formed, from the same material as the container 30 but with a foam-like consistency like foam rubber. This base member 32, as shown in Figs. 1 to 5,v is permanently attached to the bottom wall 30B of the container 30, as by vulcanizing or by adhesive, and the width of the base member 32 is such that it, bears against the sides of the journal box so as to hold the lubricator It in proper position within the box and beneath this journal.

Thev normal or expanded thickness of the base member 32 is at least great enough to substantially fully collapse the container 30 against the journal 25, but it will be recognized that such normal' or expanded thickness may be somewhat greater than the dimension thus determine at is formed. from. a resilient.

' general form shown in where this is desired to assure the application of relatively great feeding forces to the container 30. In any event, however, the base member 32 must be compressible to such a thickness that the base member 32 and the container 32 may, as a unit, be inserted downwardly and inwardly into the journal box and through the narrow clearance space beneath the journal. When such insertion has. been completed, the lubricator Hi. assumes the Fig. 3 with the resilience or expansion of the compressed base member 32 substantially collapsing the container 30 in an arcuate formagainst the journal 25.

The container 30 is then filled with lubricant by use of conventional automotive lubricating equipment which forces lubricant under pressure throughthefitting 35. This, of course, serves to further compress the base member 32, as will be evident in Fig. 2.

Thus, while we have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of our invention, it is to be understood that this is capable of, variation and modification, and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth, but desire to avail myself of such changes and, alterations as fall. within the purview of the following claims.

We claim:

1. In a lubricator formounting ina railway journal box beneath the journal: to lubricate such journal, said lubricator comprising an elongated bendable and collapsible lubricant. container adapted, to underlie such. a journal and having an upper wall with an upper surface adapted b06111? brace a substantial arcuate portion of such journal, said upper wall having a plurality of openings therein through which lubricant may be. fed from such container onto the journal, filling means atone'end of said container through'which the, container may be charged with lubricant whilev in placein a journal box, and a. flexible and compressible base member located beneath and attached, to said. container to actbetween the container and the bottom wall of a journal. box. to apply collapsing and lubricant-feeding forces to said, container.

2,. In a lubricator for mounting in a railway journal box beneath the journal to, lubricate such journal, said lubricator comprising an elongated bendable and. collapsible lubricant. container adapted to underlie such a journal and having an upper. Wall with an upper surface, adapted to embrace a substantial arcuate portion of such j ournal, a flexible and; compressible base. member located. beneath. and attached to. said container to act between the container and bottom, wall of a journal box to apply collapsing and lubricant feeding forces to said. container, said upper wall having at least one opening therein through which lubricant may be fed from such container onto. the journal. and check-valved filling means at one end of said container through which. the container may be charged with lubricant under pressure while in place, in a journal box to. thereby fill said container and at the same time compress said base member.

3- In a lubric tor for mounting in a railway journal box beneath the journal to, lubricate. such journal, said lubricator comprising. an elongated bendable and collapsible lubricant container adapted to underlie such, a journal and having an upper wall, adapted to engage a. bearing, portion of such journal, said. upper wall having at least one opening therein through Which, lubrin m y e fed from. such container onto.- the journal, filling means for said container through which the container may be charged with lubricant, and means carried on the bottom of said container for applying yielding collapsing and lubricant feeding forces to said container.

4. In a lubricator for mounting in a railway journal box beneath the journal to lubricate such journal, said lubricator comprising an elongated bendable and. collapsible lubricant container adapted to underlie such a journal and having an upper wall with an upper surface adapted to embrace a substantial arcuate portion of such journal, said upper wall having at least one opening therein through which lubricant may be fed from such container onto the journal, filling means at one end of said container through which the container may be charged with lubricant while in place in a journal box, and means for applying collapsing and lubricant-feeding forces to said container comprising a flexible base member located beneath and attached to said container and expansible so as to act between the container and the bottom wall of a journal box to apply collapsing and lubricantfeeding forces to said container.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

